The San Francisco 49ers emerged from the bye week with a big change as head coach Kyle Shanahan announced that defensive coordinator Steve Wilks would move from the locker room to the sideline starting Week 10 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Wilks, a first-year coordinator with the 49ers, experienced various problems during the first eight weeks of the season, which were reflected in the team's losses and painted the coordinator as a scapegoat for the problems.
While there were questions about Wilks' issues from a schematic perspective, there were execution issues at all three levels of the field that left a lot to be desired during the defensive losses.
However, is moving Wilks to the sideline the right move to solve the 49ers' defensive woes?
The positive
Wilks' move to the sideline is reminiscent of what the 49ers had with their last two defensive coordinators, DeMeco Ryans and Robert Saleh: a communicative presence who can speak directly to players face-to-face.
Shanahan cited a desire to better communicate with the linebackers as the reason for relegating Wilks to the sideline.
“I want him to be on the ground and be close to our players for a little bit. They've had that more with linebacker communication in the past. I want him to be down there so he can talk to the guys a little bit more,” Shanahan said.
But more importantly, in my opinion, this move allows Wilks to communicate more directly and consistently with Shanahan, allowing the head coach to have more influence on the defense as the 49ers try to get the game back in order in that regard.
The negatives
While many assume that a move to the sideline could give the 49ers the energy boost they need, I'm not sure Wilks' personality is on the level of a Robert Saleh or DeMeco Ryan.
Yes, Wilks can certainly be a leader, but it appears that his form of leadership comes in a more traditional manner, so it will be interesting to see how the dynamic changes with the change.
The biggest downside to pushing Wilks to the sideline, however, is that it takes him away from the place where he feels most comfortable as a game coordinator.
During the offseason, Wilks shared that he preferred the box coach, which is why the 49ers went in that direction in the first place.
Additionally, Shanahan himself revealed on Wednesday that he believes it's best to train from the box, so the switch is admittedly a bit confusing.
“I love being in the box. I think this is the best place. I feel like you guys would judge me too harshly if I went up there. If it ever gets cold enough, it could happen to me. I like a chair and a desk and lots of things to write on and things like that,” Shanahan said. “I had to do this for nine years before I got here. I was only in the box for one year, my last year, so I was in the box eight times before that. Both have their pros and cons, so you usually go with your preference.”
Wilks' whereabouts were not the defense's main problem; The schematic problems and the execution were, and they have not been solved with the move to the sidelines.
Do I think the defense can turn things around? Absolutely, but I'm concerned that a move out of the box would be the main reason for this.
